Flying-machine.



M. MORRIS.

FLYING MACHINE.

APBLIGATION FILED JULY 29, 1913. RENEWED SEPT.17, 1914.

1 1 1 5,9590 K Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

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M. MORRIS.

FLYING MACHINE.

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FLYING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 29, 1913. RENEWED $31 1. 17, 1914. 1 ,1 1 5,959.

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M. MORRIS.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION rum) JULY 29, 1913. RENEWED SEPT. 17,1914,

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

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I SNIDEB, OE IDENVER, COLORADO. Q

FLYING-MACHIN E.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914. Renewed September 17, 1914. Serial No. 862,257.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known t at I,.Mn.mno Momns, a

citizen of the United States, residing, at

Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to flying machines, and particularly tomea'ns .for righting the machine and insuring safety to the aviator, in the event of the loss of the fore-and-aft balance and the downward and forward plunge of the machine.

The primary object of the invention is to rovide a supporting surface which is adustable relatively to the main frame. of the machine so as to be swung upwardly and rearwardly to an increased angle of incidence when the machine takes a downward and forward plunge, thereby diminishing the speed of-the fall and sustaining the machine in a balanced position, so that the -aviator may regain control and restore the machine to its normal flyin attitude.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flying machine having a driving propeller which is adjustable, automatically or manually, when the machine takes a plunge, to a lifting position, so that it will coact with the supportin surface to sustain the machine and w operate to. lift the head of the. main frame andbring the machine back to a normal balanced position. A still further object of the invention is to provide means utilizing the force of avity and power of the motor, for shiftmg the supporting surface and propeller.

for the purposes described, so'- as to secure an instantaneousparachuticand lifting ac- With these and otherobjects in view, the inventionconsists of thenovel featur'esof construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed,.reference bein .had to the accompanying drawings, in w ich:

I o u Figure 1 1s a perspectlve view showing the machine in its normal flying attitude- Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the position of the parts in the eventofthe machine taking a downward and. forward plunge. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation oft-he major portion of the machineshowing the the position illustratedin Fig. 1. ig. 4 is a, similar view with the arts in the position shown in Fig. 2. Flg. ,5 is a sectional parts in plan-view on line 55 of Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical transverse sections on the lines 66' and 7-,7 of Fig. 3.

- Referring tothe drawings, 1 designates the main frameof the machine which is provlded with suitable launching and landng wheels 2, or other suitable'type of launch.- mg and alighting gear. This frame carries the driving motor 3, aviator s seat 1, the

supporting surface 5 and other customaryappurtenances, and is equipped with a vertical rudder 6,- a tail plane 7 and oppositely disposed lateral horizontal rudders 8.- The motor. 3 is preferably arranged at the head portion of'the frame, the seat 4- at a suitable point inrear of the centers of gravity and.

pressure, and the-supporting surface 5 at such a point as to secure maximum efficiency in 1ts sustaini and parachutic actions. The seat 4 may e fixed to the frame, but, as shown, is preferably suspended by hanger links .90! their equivalent, whereby the seat is adaptedto maintain a substantially horizontal position,v under the weight of the aviator, thus preventing the aviator from being thrown out of his seat .in theevent of the downward. and forward-plunge of the machine. The rudders: arecoupledby wires or other connections to suitablecontrol de-,v

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The main frame is provided withbe'an ings 12 in which is journaled a horizontal transverse shaft or. axle 13, to which. are fixed bracket plates 14, secured to and dependingfrom the wings of the supportingv surface5, whereby said surface is mounted to-tilt verticall with relation to; the m ain 1 frame;

ing surface, and forms, in conjunction with the axle, a carrying frame for said supporting surface'whichis reinforced therefrom by upper and lower y wires or stays 15 and 16. .It will accordingly be apparent that the support ng surface may assume different" angles of incidence with relatlon to the main frame 1, whereby the supporting surface is adapted. to perform the desired functions-as hereinafter fully described. r The shaft 17-0f the motor-3 projects for- Iwardly to a point in advance of the main frame and carries a beveled gear 18 meshing. with a transmission gear 19 carried by a horizontal transverse shaft or axle 20 sup-- ported-by bearing brackets 21. Mounted to swing vertically on said shaft oraXleQO isa h The s iaft 13 carries a mast. 145,; Wl'110h projects above and below the supporttilting propeller carrying frame comprising horizontal and vertical yokes 22 and 23, in which yoke '22 is journaleda shaft 24 carrying the propeller 25 and provided with a gear 26 meshing with the gear 19 whereby the propeller is driven from the motor. The propeller normally rotates in a vertlcal plane and its blades are properly pitched to normally propel the machine forward, as will be readily understood, and it will be apparent that through the construction described, the propeller frame may be tilted upward to any degree betweenthe horizontal and vertical, so that the propeller may be disposed to rotate horizontally .or at any intervening angle for a direct lifting or a combined lifting effect, as circumstances in the controlling of the machine may require.

Journaled in suitable bearings on the machine is a longitudinally extending transmission shaft 27 which is connected at its forward end by sprocket or other suitable gearing 28 with the motor shaft, whereby said transmission shaft is constantly driven. Loosely mounted vupoii the rear end of said transmission shaft is a beveled gear 29 having a clutch member or collar 30 adapted to be engaged by aclutch member 31 feathered or splined to the"; shaft 27 to slide on and rotate therewith. The gear 29 meshes with a gear segment 32 on the shaft or axle 13, whereby when said gear 29 is thrown into action, it will communicate motion to the segment 32, to instantly shift or tilt the supporting surface 5 to the increased angle of inci-, dence shown in Figs. 2 and 1. A shipper member 33 is provided for adjusting the clutch member 31 and is provided with a slotted lower end 34 slidably and pivotally receiving a pin 35 upon the upper arm of a controlling lever 36. This lever 36 is fulcrumed to the main frame to tilt upon a horizontal transverse axis 37 and is provided at its lower end with a weight 38. When the machine is in a standing or normal flying attitude, the pendulum lever 36 is maintained by gravity in a vertical position at an angle to the plane of the main frame, and thereby holds the clutch member 31 out of engagement with the clutch member 30, so that the gear 29 will normally stand idle. When, however, the main frame tilts downwardly and forwardly to an abnormal degree, as when the machine strikes an air-hole, or from any other cause begins to fall in a diving position, a relative motion between the main frame and pendulum lever is set up whereby the clutch member'31 is shifted into engage ment with the clutch member 30. As a result ofthis action, the gear29 will be fixed to the shaft27 and Wlll rotate therewith, thus shifting the supporting surface from the normal angle of incidence shown in Fists. 1 and 8 to-the increased angle of incidence shown in Figs. 2 and 4,- whereby said supporting surface will operate as a parachute to check the speed of descent of the machine and prevent further turning motion of the machine on its horizontal transverse axis. v v A The mast 14 and yoke 23 are coupled by a linkconnection 39 to have tilting motion in unison, whereby when the supporting surface is tilted upwardly to the increased angle of incidence described the propeller 5 will simultaneously be tilted upwardly to an angular degree corresponding to the extent of tilt of the supporting surface. As. soon,

. therefore, as the machine loses its fore-andaft balance and plunges downwardly and forwardly, the supporting surface will be adjusted to sustain the machine and check its speed of descent, while at the same time the propeller will be adjusted to a lifting angle to elevate the head of the main frame, whereby the plunging motion of the machine will be arrested and the mainframe brought back to its normal position, thus preventing the descent of the machine to the ground and enabling the aviator to gain rapid and complete control thereof.

For the purpose of enabling the aviator to manually adjust the supporting surface and propeller for a stabilizing action, as well as to regulate the action ofthe: said parts in regaining control after the machine has made aplunge, a lever 40 is provided iuproximity to the aviators seat, and is mounted to swing in a fore-and-aft direction on the main frame. ThlSlGVGI' is coupled to the mast 14 by a link 41, thus enabling the supporting surface and propeller to be adjustedby back and forth movements of the lever as occae sion requires, and said lever is provided with a spring actuated pawl or dog 42 to engage arack 43 on the main frame whereby the lever and parts may be locked in adjusted position to the main frame under ordinary conditions of service.

It will be understood that asxsoon as the machine begins toplunge and the aviator releases the lever to manipulate the supporting surface and propeller to restore the longitudinal stability, that in the event the machine continues to fall the pendulum" lever 36 will come into action and automatically effect the instantaneous adjustment of the supporting surface and propeller to positions for immediate action to stop the fall of the machine and restore it to a balanced position. 'As the machinemoves back to a balanced position, it is aviator may manually adjust the supporting surface and propeller to meet any special conditions as experience or the exigency of the case demands.

As shown, the link connection 41 between the mast and. the lever 40 is an indirect evident that by means of the lever 40 the connection, the said link being pivoted to a lever 42 connected with the pawl or dog 4.2. The pawl is normally held projected by an expansion spring 42 disposed between the same and a guide lu 42 on the lever. This lug is apertured or the passage of a rod 42 connecting the pawl or dog with a pivoted controlling handle 42 mounted on the lever 40 adjacent to the handle thereof. It will, of course, be understood that the aviator may grip the handle of the lever 40 and simultaneously move the controlling handle 42 to retract the pawl or dog, allowing the lever 40 to be swung forwardly or rearwardly, so that through the connection aiforded by the pawl or dog, the lever 42 and link 41 the supporting surface 5 may be manually adjusted, and the propeller adjusted therewith or through the link connection 39. In the automatic action, when the clutch member 31 is thrown into engagement with the clutch member 30 through the action of the weighted lever 36, the movement of the link 41 with the supporting surface '5 swings the lever 42* to retract the pawl, thus automatically actuating the device for adjustment of the supporting surface. As soon as the machine begins to right itself, the aviator grips the handle of the lever 30 and handle 42 of the do and retracts the dog to unlock the lever and then manipulates the lever to adjust the supporting surface-back to normal position or as occasion may require until the equilibrium of the machine is fully regained.

If desired a cord or other connection 45 may lead from the weight 38 to and through a suitable guide 46 on the main frame near the aviators seat and be provided with a handle 47, whereby the aviator at any time may adjust the pendulum lever to throw or hold the clutch device out of action.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of my improved flying machine will be readily understood, and it will be seen that the invention provides a means whereby accidents caused by the downward and forward. fall of an aeroplane, on the loss of the longitudinal balance, may be averted and the aviator allowed to re ain complete control over the machine, sufiicient in the greater majority of instances at least, to avoid destruction of the machine and injury to the aviator.

The principles of construction herein disclosed may be embodied in either monoplane or biplane machines.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a flying maciine, the combination of a main frame, a supporting surface .mounted to tilt vertically upon the main frame, a yoke mounted to tilt vertically upon the main frame at a point in advance of the supporting surface, a propeller journaled upon the yoke, a motor mounted upon the main frame, gearing between the motor and propeller, a connection between the a supporting surface and yoke, whereby said supporting surface and yoke are adapted to tilt in unison, a transmission shaft in gear with the motor, normally idle gearing between said shaft and the supporting surface adapted to normally permit manual adjustment of said surface, and. a gravity controlled means for throwing said nor mally idle gearing into action.

2. In a flying machine, the combination of a main frame, a supporting surface mounted to tilt vertically on the main frame, a yoke mounted to tilt vertically on the main frame at a point in advance of the supporting surface, a propeller journaled on said yoke, a motorupon the main frame, gearing between said motor and the propeller, a connection between the supportion surface and yoke adapting said supporting surface and yoke to tilt vertically in unison, a transmission shaft in gear with the motor, normally idle gearing, including a clutch element on said transmission shaft, for imparting tilting motion to the supporting surface, a shifting device for ad usting said clutch element to throw said normally idle gearing into and out of action, and a gravity controlled device for actuating a gravity controlled element for actuating said shifting device.

3. In a flying machine, the combination of a main frame, a supporting surface mounted to tilt vertically upon the main frame, a yoke pivoted to tilt vertically upon the main frame at a point in advance of the supporting surface, a propeller journaled on said yoke, a motor upon the main frame, gearing between said motor and the propeller, a connection, between the supporting surface and yoke adapting said supporting surface and yoke to tilt in unison, a transmission shaft in gear with the motor, normally idle gearing between said shaft and the supporting surface adapted when thrown into action to tilt said surface, a gravity control device to throw said normally idle gearing into action, and manually operable means for rendering said gravity control device inoperative.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MILLARD MORRIS.

Witnesses:

' F. E. HAMMOND, Crass. E. SNIDER. 

